After Swami Aseema-nand, another person, who had reportedly admitted to being involved in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast, has retracted his confession. HT reports.

After Swami Aseemanand, another person, who had reportedly admitted to being involved in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast, has retracted his confession. It is a body blow to the CBI, which had held the duo responsible in the blast case.

Bharat Bhai Rateshwar, 42, withdrew his application on Friday, claiming he was forced by the CBI to confess his role and become an approver in the case. Rateshwar is also an accused in Malegaon, Samjhauta and Hyderabad’s Mecca Masjid blasts. On March 29, Aseemanand, who had also confessed to his role in the above cases, turned hostile.

The chief judicial magistrate court in Ajmer has ordered the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad to remove both names from the list of witnesses in the case.

On Thursday, the National Investigation Agency had taken over the investigation of Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Sharif and Malegaon blast cases in which Abhinav Bharat’s cadres are alleged to be involved. The Centre’s contention was since the same outfits were involved, the cases should be investigated by the NIA. The NIA is already investigating the Samjhauta case.